ALONE IN THE DARK

Ever heard of Wind Waker Syndrome? It's that point in an otherwise majestic game where, for reasons obvious to nobody with even a modicum of common sense, a single game mechanic of such staggeringly misjudged magnitude comes along that you immediately want to sling your console out the window, write a stern letter to your local MP then spend the rest of the afternoon sobbing in the corner of your room in silent, endless frustration.

Well, there's one of those in Alone in the Dark. Which is a shame because, for the first eight hours or so, Atari's rejuvenation of its classic survival horror franchise is one of the most excitingly ambitious, captivating game experiences we've played in a long time. Sure, where grand, original ideas are concerned, there are bound to be flaws – which Alone in the Dark has in spades – but it's hard to berate a game which, on a minute by minute basis, successfully manages to offer truly unique, beguiling and genuinely thrilling moments.